OMC 4.3L Cobra locked up?

gotama176 · Soul Rider Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 341 City: Columbus

Any ideas? 1989 Four Winns Horizon 4.3L Cobra. Took her out on Tuesday for first run of the spring, ran great. Replaced distributor cap, rotor, plugs, and outdrive oil on Sat. and went for a spin today. The boat felt great, no more stutter from dead stops. Then, while wakeboarding, she started losing power and within 20 seconds there was a clunk and she was dead. No smoke or anything. No leakage or anything strange in the bilge. Prop is spinning free. When you turn the key the engine will not budge. Any ideas of where to start?!? Any help would be great.

DJew Jake · Posted: Apr 10, 2005 3:28 pm Post subject:

Engine temp?

how do you like the gotamas? those skiis are huge.

ballywho · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 1725

WOW that sucks. Sounds like it could be something in the crankshaft but I cant be sure. When was the last time the engine was serviced? Sometimes the crews put things in the carb while she's open and if they forget to rmove a screw or washer it can get sucked into the injectors. That's wierd, I could be more sure if the prop wouldn't spin but it does...
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gotama176 · Soul Rider Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 341 City: Columbus

Engine temp was normal. I had changed the oil last November before I winterized it. I am the only person that has done any service to it, that being said I have only had it since this past July. The boat is in really good shape, I have had more than one person remark on how good it looks, runs, handles.....'er until now Evil or Very Mad

Jibsta, Gotamas Rock, sold 'em to my buddy in Squaw for his BC rig though. I am on 4frnt MSPs right now....huge fan.

DJew Jake · Posted: Apr 10, 2005 3:53 pm Post subject:

ballywho, The prop would spin fine if the boat was in neutral?
gotama176, When you turn the key to try to start it does your voltmeter drop to 0?

As for the gotamas, iw as gonna pick up a pair for this winter but got a sweet deal on some monsters, 196's with tyrolia dh binding for 600 bucks canadian Smile

, sold em now at the end of the season.

gotama176 · Soul Rider Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 341 City: Columbus

Jibsta, I just went outside to check and no, it looks like it is around 10 amps. However, when I turn the key, the steering wheel is turning, and the outdrive is moving a little bit each time. Like I said, the starter can't budge the engine. Could it be some sort of screw up with the clutch????

I'll be a 4frnt pimp and say check 'em out next season, or a set of prior boards.

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

Hmm take the plugs out and put a couple drops of oil in each cylinder. Then try and crank it. Hmm sounds like you'll have a project otherwise.

-=LoneStar=- · Addict Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 751

It sounds like you may have gotten water in the cylinders. From your description, it sounds like you may have sprung a leak in an exhaust manifold and gotten it in through there. As more and more incompressible water was added to the cylinder, the engine ran worse and worse, until it just locked up.

Pull the plugs and check for water. If there's water in any of the cylinders, do what Powaman said. You might also want to change the oil in case any water leaked past the rings. Hopefully, you didn't bend a rod or cause any other damage.

twitch88 · Posted: Apr 10, 2005 6:07 pm Post subject:

marlinempress · Outlaw Joined: 02 Feb 2005 Posts: 112 City: Murray

I'd start with what twitch says, eliminate starter failure right off. Remove the spark plugs and try to turn it. If it doesn't turn, that really sucks I'm sorry. From Tuesday to Saturday what changed? How long did it run before it crapped out? Make sure you check all your breakers or fuses and also make sure the prop doesn't spin when the shifter is moved to the forward and reverse positions. The cobra shifting is cable actuated so the motor doesn't need to be running to engage the gears. There's also a switch probably in the shifter that'll make it so you can't start the motor unless it's in neutral. When you switched the cap and rotor and junk did you reset the timing? Did you replace the points? There's a number of things that could have messed up the timing while doing that and advanced or retarded the timing causing it to suck a valve or a bunch of other things....really to know where to start we need to know if it's electrical or what though.

wesgardner · Posted: Apr 11, 2005 3:49 am Post subject:

Hey gotama176,

Do the engine test stuff first - i.e. pull the plugs and assure yourself there's no water in there. It COULD be the outdrive. You may have to uncouple the outdrive to get the motor to crank. Of course assure yourself that it's not something simple like a stater issue...

I don't want to ding on your mechanical ability, so please don't take this as an insult, but maybe take it to a shop and pay a mechanic for an hour's time to go over with you? Then proceed with that knowledge?

Good luck man

Wes